Lever means for an electrical switch construction or the like and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

An electrical switch construction having a housing provided with an electrical switch therein and a movable plunger for actuating the electrical switch when the plunger is axially moved relative to the housing. A lever is pivotally mounted to the housing to permit pivotal movement of the lever and the lever is secured to the plunger intermediate the opposed ends of the lever to cause movement of the plunger as the lever is pivoted relative to the housing.

United States Patent 11 1 Warner Aug. 28, 1973 [541 LEVER MEANS FOR AN ELECTRICAL 2,828,372 3/1958 Bulgin 200/172 A swrrcn CONSTRUCTION OR THE LIKE L d 2 un AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 3,683,144 8/1972 Bowen et al..... 200/172 A [75] Inventor: Roger L. Warner, Union Twp., Ohio 3,141,075 7/1964 Brevick et a] 200/172 A [73] Asslgnee: gygfsztg s Company Primary Examiner-Herman J. Hohauser Assistant Examiner-William J. Smith [22] Filed: May 17, 1972 Attorney-- Auzville Jackson, Jr. and James T. Condor [21] Appl. No.: 253,999

[57] ABSTRACT 52 1 us. on 200/172 A zoo/153 T elewical swich having 3 using 51 int. c1. 2 110111 3/04 Vided with an electrical Switch them" and a "mable 58 Field of Search 200/172 A 172 R Plunger actuating the decimal swich when 206/153 plunger is axially moved relative to the housing. A lever is pivotally mounted to the housing to permit pivotal [56] References Cited movement of the lever and the lever is secured to the UNITED STATES PATENTS plunger intermediate the opposed ends of the lever to cause movement of the plunger as the lever is pivoted 3,681,554 8/1972 Arthur 200/172 A relative to the housing I 3,571,541 3/1971 Bedocs 200/172 R 3,480,752 11/1969 Cherry et a1 ZOO/172 A 15 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures LEVER MEANS FOR AN ELECTRICAL SWITCH CONSTRUCTION OR THE LIKE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME This invention relates to an improved lever means for an electrical switch construction or the like as well as to an improved method of making such a lever means or the like.

It is well known that various electrical switch constructons have provided wherein each has an actuating plunger means that is adapted to be axially moved relative to the switch housing to operate the electrical switch structure contained within such housing. It is also well known that levers have been provided for being pivotally mounted to the housing and for being engaged against the plunger means intermediate the opposed ends of the lever so that a moving part or the like can operate against the free end of the lever to cause pivotal movement thereof, and, thus, axial movement of the plunger means to operate the switch of the electrical switch construction.

It is a feature of this invention to provide improved lever means for such an electrical switch construction or the like, the lever means of this invention having means for being directly interconnected to the plunger means of the electrical switch construction so as to cause axial movement thereof as the lever means is pivoted in either direction relative to the switch housing.

In particular, one embodiment of this invention provides an electrical switch construction having a housing means provided with an electrical switch means therein and a movable plunger means for actuating the switch means. The lever means of this invention is pivotally mounted to the housing means at one end of the lever means and is interconnected to the plunger means intermediate the opposed ends of the lever means so as to cause movement of the plunger means as the lever means is pivoted relative to the housing means.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to providean improved lever means for an electrical switch construction or the like, the lever means of this invention having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved electrical switch construction utilizing such a lever means or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method of making such an electrical switch construction or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIG. I is a top perspective view illustrating the improved electrical switch construction of this invention carrying one embodiment of the lever means of this invention.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary, cross-sectional view taken on line 2 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a top view of another electrical switch construction of this invention utilizing another embodiment of the lever means of this invention.

FIG. 4 is'a side view of the electrical switch construction of FIG. 3 with a part thereof being shown in cross section and taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

line 5-5 of FIG. 3.

While the lever means of this invention is hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly adapted to provide a lever means for an electrical switch construction, it is to be understood that the lever means of this invention can be utilized for other devices as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, an improved electrical switch construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a housing means 11 formed of two housing parts 12 and -I3 suitably secured together in a conventional manner extending portion of the plunger means 15 can be engaged to depress the plunger means 15 and cause the switch means 14 in the housing means 11 to change its operative condition until the force against the plunger means 15 is removed and the normal bias of the switch means 14 can cause the plunger means 15 to be moved outwardly relative to the housing 11 to place the switch means 14 therein back in the other operating condition thereof.

Since the internal workings of the electrical switch construction 10 does not form a part of this invention, further discussion of the electrical switch 14 and the operation thereof by the plunger means 15 is deemed unnecessary, it only being necessary to indicate that the switch means 14 has its operative condition changed as the plunger means 15 is axially moved relative to the housing means 11 between various axial positions thereof.

An improved lever means of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 17 in FIGS. I and 2 with the lever means 17 of this invention being utilized for operating the plunger means 15 of the electrical switch construction 10.

, The lever means 17 is formed from a wire or rod-like member 18 bent into the configuration illustrated in FIG. I wherein a middle portion 19 of the rod-like member 18 is reversely bent upon itself to define a handle portion 20 of the lever means 17 in any desired configuration for being operated on to actuate the plunger means 15 in the manner hereinafter set forth.

The bending of the rod-like member 18 into the configuration illustrated in FIG. I defines a pair of outwardly directed opposed ends 21 and 22 of the rod-like member l8 which defines one opposed end 23 of the lever 17 while the handle portion 20 defines the other opposed end 24 of the lever means I7.

Each housing part 12 and' 13 is provided with an outwardly directed ear 25 provided with a plurality of openings or holes 26 therein with such openings 26 being disposed in a linear array in a direction toward and away from the plunger 15 as illustrated.

The spacing between the cars 25 of the assembled housing members 12 and 13 is such that when housing members 12 and 13 are secured together into the configuration illustrated in FIG. 1, the opposed ends 21 and 22 of the lever 17 can be sprung toward each other so as to permit the ends 21 and 22 to enter into a selected pair of cooperating openings 26 in the two ears 25 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 so as to determine the lever arm ratio desired for operating the plunger 15, such insertion of the ends 21 and 22 of the rod-like member 18 into the cooperating pair of openings 26 of the ears 25 taking place while the lever means 17 is unconnected to the plunger means 15 and in a position away from the same.

After the ends 21 and 22 of the rod-like member 18 have been inserted in the desired pair of openings 26 in the housing means 11 to pivotally mount the lever means 17 to the housing means 11, the adjacent parallel parts 27 and 28 of the bent rod-like member 18 are adapted to be snapped over a rivet-like head 29 formed on the outer end 30 of the plunger means 15 in the manner illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the parallel parts 27 and 28 are respectively received in recesses 31 and 32, formed on opposite sidesof the rivet-like member 29 underneath the head-like portion 30 thereof so that the lever means 17 is' interconnected to the plunger 15.

In this manner, it can be seen that as the handle portion 20 of the lever means 17 is moved upwardly and downwardly relative to the housing means 11 to cause the lever means 17 to pivot within the cooperating pair of openings 26 of the ears 25, such pivoting movement of the lever 17 causes axial up or down movement of the plunger means 15 for operating the switch 14 of the switch construction 10.

Therefore, it can be seen that the lever means 17 can be formed in a simple and effective manner by merely bending a one-piece wire, rod-like member 18 into the configuration illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and have one opposed end 23 thereof pivotally mounted to the housing means 11 while an intermediate part 27, 28 thereof is interconnected to the plunger means 15 to cause the same to move in unison therewith as the handle portion 20 of the lever means 17 is moved upwardly and downwardly to pivot the lever means 17 relative to the housing means 11. I

Another electrical switch construction of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral A in FIGS. 3-5 and parts thereof similar to the electrical switch construction 10 previously described are indicated by like reference numerals followed by the reference letter A.

As illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, the electrical switch construction 10A has its housing means 11A formed from two housing parts 12A and 13A secured together in the manner previously described with each housing part 12A and 13A having the projecting ear 25A provided with the openings 26A for the opposed ends 21A and 22A of the lever means 17A for the reasons previously setforth. However, the lever means 17A of the embodiment of FIGS. 3-5 is so constructed and arranged that the ends 21A and 22A are adapted to be assembled into the cooperating openings 26A of the ears 25A as the housing parts 12A and 13A are being assembled together to form the housing means 11A, such insertion of the ends 21A and 22A of the lever means 17A in the openings 26A of the ears 25A occurring after the lever means 17A has been interconnected to the plunger means of the switch construction 10A.

In particular, the projecting part of the plunger means 15A has the top part 30A thereof provided with a slot 33 passing therethrough and undercutting the same to define an enlarged cutout 34 in the plunger 15A that extends under opposed shoulders 35 and 36 of the plunger 15A. In this manner, the two parallel parts 27A and 28A of the rod-like member 18A can each be serially snapped through the slot 33 of the plunger 15A to be moved under a respective shoulder 35 or 36 of the plunger 15A in the manner illustrated in FIG. 5 to interconnect the intermediate part 27A, 28A of the lever means 17A thereto before the housing parts 12A and 13A are assembled together so that as the housing parts 12A and 13A are assembled together, the ends 21A and 22A of the lever means 17A will be received in the desired pair of cooperating openings 26A to provide the desired lever ratio for the lever means 17A acting on the plunger means 15A in the manner previously described to operate the switch within the housing means 11A for the purpose previously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention provides an improved lever means for an electrical switch construction or the like, as well as an improved method of making such an electrical switch construction or the like, wherein the lever means comprises a one-piece, rod-like member bent into a desired configuration to permit the same to be pivotally mounted to the housing means of the switch construction and have an intermediate part thereof directly interconnected to the plunger means of the switch construction so that the plunger means will move in unison with the lever means as the lever means is pivotally moved relative to the housing.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been illustrated and described as required by the Patent Statute, other forms may be utilized, all coming within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an electrical switch construction having a housing means provided with electrical switch means and a self-contained axially movable plunger means for actuating said switch means, and having a part thereof projecting out of said housing means, the improvement comprising a lever means pivotally mounted to said housing means to permit pivoted movement of said lever means, said lever means being detachably and slidably secured to said part of said plunger means to cause substantially axial movement thereof as said lever means is pivoted relative to said housing means.

2. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said lever has opposed ends, one of said ends being pivotally mounted to said housing means, said lever means being interconnected to said part of said plunger means inte rmediate said opposed ends thereof.

3. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said other end of said lever means comprises a handle portion for said lever means.

4. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said lever means comprises a one-piece rod-like member bent so that the ends of said memberdefine said one opposed ends of said lever means.

5. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said housing means has a plurality of cooperating pairs of openings therein, said opposed ends of said rod-like member being disposed in a selected pair of said openings to pivotally mount said lever means to said housing means.

6. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 5, the further improvement wherein said pairs of openings are disposed in aligned relation whereby the lever ratio of said lever means acting on said plunger means can be changed by having said ends of said rodlike member disposed in another pair of said openings.

7. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein two parts of said bent rod-like member intermediate said opposed ends of said lever means are substantially parallel to each other, said part of said plunger means being interconnected to said two parts of said bent rod-like member.

8. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said part of said plunger means is a rivet head like part straddled by said two parts of said rod-like member to interconnect said lever means to said plunger means.

9. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said part of said plunger means has an undercut slot means provided therein receiving said two parts of said rod-like member therein to interconnect said lever means to said part of said plunger means.

10. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said bent rod-like member is reversely bent in the middle portion and self-contained actuating plunger means of an electrical switch construction, said lever means having means adapted to pivotally mount said lever means to the housing means of said switch construction to permit pivotal movement of said lever means relative thereto, said lever means having means adapted to be detachably and slidably secured to said plunger means to cause substantially only axial movement thereof as said lever means is pivoted relative to said housing means.

12. A lever means as set forth in claim ll, wherein said lever has opposed ends, one of said ends being adapted to be pivotally mounted to said housing means, said lever means being adapted to be interconnected to said plunger means intermediate said opposed ends thereof.

13. A lever means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said other end of said lever means comprises a handle portion for said lever means.

14. A lever means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said lever means comprises a one-piece rod-like member bent so that the ends of said member define said one opposed ends of said lever means.

15. A lever means as set forth in claim 14, wherein two parts of said bent rod-like member intermediate said opposed ends of said lever means are substantially parallel to each other and define said means for attaching to said plunger means. 

1. In an electrical switch construction having a housing means provided with electrical switch means and a self-contained axially movable plunger means for actuating said switch means, and having a part thereof projecting out of said housing means, the improvement comprising a lever means pivotally mounted to said housing means to permit pivoted movement of said lever means, said lever means being detachably and slidably secured to said part of said plunger means to cause substantially axial movement thereof as said lever means is pivoted relative to said housing means.
 2. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 1, the further improvement wherein said lever has opposed ends, one of said ends being pivotally mounted to said housing means, said lever means being interconnected to said part of said plunger means intermediate said opposed ends thereof.
 3. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said other end of said lever means comprises a handle portion for said lever means.
 4. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 2, the further improvement wherein said lever means comprises a one-piece rod-like member bent so that the ends of said member define said one opposed ends of said lever means.
 5. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said housing means has a plurality of cooperating pairs of openings therein, said opposed ends of said rod-like member being disposed in a selected pair of said openings to pivotally mount said lever means to said housing means.
 6. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 5, the further improvement wherein said pairs of openings are disposed in aligned relation whereby the lever ratio of said lever means acting on said plunger means can be changed by having said ends of said rod-like member disposed in another pair of said openings.
 7. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein two parts of said bent rod-like member intermediate said opposed ends of said lever means are substantially parallel to each other, said part of said plunger means being interconnected to said two parts of said bent rod-like member.
 8. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said part of said plunger means is a rivet head like part straddled by said two parts of said rod-like member to interconnect said lever means to said plunger means.
 9. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement wherein said part of said plunger means has an undercut slot means provided therein receiving said two parts of said rod-like member therein to interconnect said lever means to said part of said plunger means.
 10. In an electrical switch construction as set forth in claim 4, the further improvement wherein said bent rod-like member is reversely bent in the middle portion thereof to define the other opposed end of said lever means, said middle portion being bent to define said handle for said lever means.
 11. A lever means for operating an axially movable and self-contained actuating plunger means of an electrical switch construction, said lever means having means adapted to pivotally mount said lever means to the housing means of said switch construction to permit pivotal movement of said lever means relative thereto, said lever means having means adapted to be detachably and slidably secured to said plunger means to cause substantially only axial movement thereof as said lever means is pivoted relative to said housing means.
 12. A lever means as set forth in claim 11, wherein said lever has opposed ends, one of said ends being adapted to be pivotally mounted to said housing means, said lever means being adapted to be interconnected to said plunger means intermediate said opposed ends thereof.
 13. A lever means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said other end of said lever means comprises a handle portion for said lever means.
 14. A lever means as set forth in claim 12, wherein said lever means comprises a one-piece rod-like member bent so that the ends of said member define said one opposed ends of said lever means.
 15. A lever means as set forth in claim 14, wherein two parts of said bent rod-like member intermediate said opposed ends of said lever means are substantially parallel to each other and define said means for attaching to said plunger means. 